Partha Pratim Bhattacharjee

Many Awami League nominees find themselves in a dicey situation, as they may have to face a tough challenge from party colleagues running as independents or incur the high command’s wrath for an uncontested win.

AL leaders seeking to run as independents must get the party’s nod

The Awami League yesterday unveiled its list of 298 nominees, and three incumbent ministers and 68 other lawmakers did not make the cut.

The 14-party allies will demand the Awami League set aside more seats for them this time but the ruling party will assign fewer seats to them compared to the last national election, sources in the AL said.

Former state minister for information and broadcasting Murad Hassan, who had to resign from cabinet for his misogynistic and abusive remarks, has not got the Awami League ticket to run for parliament this time.

Star cricketer Shakib Al Hasan is set to start a new career in politics as he got the ruling Awami League’s ticket to run for parliament from Magura-1 constituency.

The BNP appears to be in for even tougher times in the next few weeks with the government going all out to make sure the party does not gain momentum in its oust-the-government movement.

Former Chhatra League president Rezwanul Haque Chowdhury Shovon, who was removed from his post in 2019 for controversial activities, has been picked as the Awami League nominee for Kurigram-1.

In many constituencies, incumbent and former lawmakers of the Awami League treat their seats with a dynastic perspective.

Awami League nomination seekers are in a race among themselves as on average 11 people are vying to get the party ticket in each constituency.

As the BNP and its like-minded parties intensify their street agitation, the government prepares to go for a stricter crackdown on the opposition activists to quash the anti-government movement.

The Election Commission’s move to hold dialogue over preparations for the upcoming general election appears doomed to fall flat, as the BNP and its allies won’t take part in it and the issue of polls-time government remains unresolved, say political analysts.

The way the events unfolded on Saturday has given the Awami League rank and file a confidence boost, claim leaders of the ruling party.

Police might give the BNP permission to hold the grand rally at its desired Nayapaltan venue at the last moment, but opposition activists will not be allowed anywhere else on the streets.

The Awami League is fully prepared to prevent the BNP from resorting to violence centring the October 28 rally, ruling party leaders said.

Some major Islamist parties and organisations are planning to intensify their street agitation to force the government to step down and hold the election under a neutral government.

Awami League and law enforcement agencies will use all possible means to “drive out” BNP from the streets if the opposition party tries to stage any sit-ins or blockades after its scheduled grand rally in the capital on October 28, police and Awami League sources have said.

Breaking away from its age-old tradition, the Awami League is going to introduce online collection and submission of its nomination forms for the upcoming national election slated for January.

The ruling Awami League is set to launch a social media campaign portraying Sheikh Hasina as the only leader who as a prime minister can tackle the challenges the country may face going forward.

The Awami League will make an all-out effort to bring voters to the polling centres to ensure a healthy turnout in the upcoming national polls, as it believes an election with high turnout will be acceptable to the international community.